Why Imam Hassan (AS) chose peace with Moawiyeh?

SHAFAQNA – By reviewing the situation of the time and the two groups of pious and impious, we can see that the love of the world and the weakening of religious values in people caused Imam Hassan (AS) to accept the peace. That is why Imam Hassan (AS) mentioned these two reasons for accepting peace with Moawiyeh and called those world lovers as the “slaves of the world” [1].

The height of this unwillingness by some people was that they did not attend Imam’s camp to get ready for fight against Moawiyeh; as Imam Hassan (AS) said: I am surprised at people who are overly shameless and have no religion…woe to you the slaves of the world [2].

Imam Hassan (AS) also said: Moawiyeh has called us to a thing that has no honour and justice; if you want the life of this world, I accept it and will tolerate the thorn in the eye; and if you want death, we will give it in the way of God. People shouted: We want the life and we want to remain alive [3].

Some researchers mentioned various reasons for Imam Hassan’s (AS) peace treaty with Moawiyeh. Some examples of these are outlined below.

1. When the army of Qais ibn Sa’ad, tribe by tribe joined Moawiyeh, Imam Hassan (AS) said: [After the martyrdom of my father] you declared allegiance to me by your own will and I accepted; I acted and God knows what was my decision; but you did what you did [4].

2. Love of the world especially by those well known figures can be seen by their disloyalty to Imam Hassan (AS); as Moawiyeh managed to lure them right at the beginning by paying for instance 500,000 Derham to one commander and he joined Moawiyeh with 200 of his soldiers. Imam Hassan (AS) said: I have told you repeatedly that you are not loyal and you are slaves of the world [5].

3. When Jarieh came to Imam (AS) and asked permission to move towards the enemy, Imam Hassan (AS) said: If all the people were like you, I would have given permission; but half or one tenth of the people do not have such a belief [6].